Why You Should Never Pick Up Your Dropped Phone On A Plane

Have you ever dropped your smartphone and picked it up? Of course you have.

Well I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you should never pick up your phone after dropping it on a flight, ever.

Why? It could cause a major disaster during a flight. Let me explain…

Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority have issued a warning, explaining that smartphones that slipped between the seats could be crushed if the seat was adjusted, possibly damaging the phone’s lithium battery and causing it to overheat and burst into flames. Not exactly the type of situation you want occurring whilst travelling 40,000 feet in the air.

Sounds extreme, but apparently battery fires have been the cause of a number of mid-air emergencies recently, including one Qantas flight from Sydney to Los Angeles in June.

CASA claims that the number phone-related plane incidents is becoming more common due to the increasingly slimline design of smartphones and the increased power of their batteries.

So next time you think about taking a nap on a plane, make sure your smartphone is not hanging out of your pocket, and is securely stowed away in the overhead departments.

And if you're someone who always carries around a portable battery pack to ensure you never run out of charge (like myself), apparently these pose a huge risk too.

“Spare batteries must never be carried in checked luggage at any time but should be taken on board aircraft in carry-on baggage with the battery terminals protected,” the warning from CASA said.